wetsuit
Latest
Synthetic 'blubber' could triple divers' survival time in icy water
Even the hardiest diver can't last longer than an hour in cold water using a modern wetsuit, and that's no good if you're a special ops soldier or otherwise need to stay under the sea for hours at a time. MIT has a simple solution: imitate the blubber that keeps seals and polar bears safe. They've developed an "artificial blubber" that promises to extend swim times in chilly water (under 50F) to as long as three hours. The approach combines a newly processed material with pockets that keep the cold out.
ICYMI: Wetsuits will be modeled on the cutest sea creatures
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: MIT researchers are creating a two-layer wetsuit modeled off of the pelts of sea otters and beavers, who are able to stay warm in chilly water despite not having the layer of blubber that whales and dolphins have. Meanwhile bumblebees are being trained to pull strings to get a sweet reward. The ease with which they've taught each other is surprising scientists, who hadn't known the little guys could be trained. If you're interested in the origami bird that can be controlled with hand motions, that's here. And the video of Blue Origin being tested is here. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
MIT engineers make beaver-inspired wetsuit to keep surfers warmer
Large oceangoing creatures, like whales and seals, keep warm with thick layers of blubber. But smaller mammals like beavers and otters have a different method of insulation: Their dense fur, which traps warm air bubbles to separate their body from cold waters. MIT engineers have devised a wetsuit featuring a similar hairy layer made of rubber to insulate divers and surfers.
US Navy's latest diving suit saves helium, space and weight
The US Navy has just unveiled a new diving suit prototype, and aside from being more efficient than older models, it also helps conserve helium. See, the agency's current suit uses Fly-Away Mixed Gas System (FMGS), which releases gases the diver exhales into the sea, including huge amounts of oxygen and helium. According to the Navy scientists that designed the new version, it "modifies the current helmet and rebreather," and tests prove that it can drastically reduce the consumption of the noble gas-- important in the midst of a global helium shortage. While we can make do without balloons or squeaky voices in parties, the gas is also used for more important purposes, such as operating MRI machines and the Large Hadron Collider.
Suit up: New TR Underworld costumes available
Eidos has given Underworld fans another free costume pack, perfect for playing dress-up with Lara Croft. The 62MB download gives Lara a blue and a red wetsuit to add to her walk-in closet. A previous free costume pack bestowed Lady Croft with her treasured original (Anniversary) outfit and her Legend ensemble.As much as we love putting Lara in new clothes -- pretending she's the Barbie doll dad wouldn't let us have as a kid -- don't think we've forgotten about those Underworld level packs. Pretty clothes might distract us, but the "Beneath the Ashes" mission was originally planned to be out by now.
Rip Curl launches the H-Bomb: "world's first heated wetsuit"
Although late October typically conjures thoughts about the upcoming ski season, Rip Curl is hoping to please those So Cal / Hawaiian residents by giving you one less reason to ditch the waves this winter. Announcing the "world's first heated wetsuit," the H-Bomb (no relation to the F-Bomb) looks like your average neoprene wetsuit at first glance, but beneath the back lies twin Li-ion cells which are used to generate heat and keep surfers warm on those chilly days at the beach. The suit has two settings -- low (120 - 130 degrees Fahrenheit) and high (140 - 150 degrees Fahrenheit) -- and utilizes "thin layers" of internal fabric to "spread the heat evenly and protect your skin." While we're certainly fans of staying toasty, strapping a pair of potentially explosive batteries onto one's back doesn't exactly sound inviting, but hopefully these won't be subject to any detrimental recalls anyway.[Via Pocket Lint]
